Moments earlier, Somnak's fire-light trick had allowed a few to see directly into to dark slits of the twin metal doors...

The first appeared as a 20x20 square chamber. Four metallic tentacles of some sort were attached to the walls, lying dormant on the floor, meeting in the center. Some sort of helmet-like contraption hung on a wire from the ceiling.

The glimpse into the second door showed that it was of the same size as the other, but empty of objects of any kind. A few tubes (nozzles?) may have been sticking out of the walls.

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.

She stalked the hallways. Her latest mission had been to find the Eye-of-the-Mountain on some jungle-strewn island lost amidst the Shattered Archipelago. It was a gem, she was told, the size of a human heart, and she didn't question the order. The King was the king, and she, the Lumina. She would complete this final task.

Reaching the "Mountain" was easy. Finding the gem was most difficult.

She had entered the pyramid, and had been lost within its maddening hallways and chambers, ever since. Time was no longer relevant. Only finding the gem, and returning to Brandburg.

Her latest corridor took her inside a vast hall of statues. A thousand or more, of every shape and size, all carved from the same, gray rock. Before her, lay a silent, stone forest.

---

Lumori hesitated.

Movement amidst the stillness of the statues.

"Oh!" mouthed Myhak, his eyes popped open in fear, while Yurhak, idiot that he was, simply hurled his spear with all his might at the creature approaching them!

Lumori could make out two things. It was humanoid and it was female. Beyond that, he was stumped. The creature sported a thrice-splayed tail. Her hair, or more aptly mane, was a fiery red. Two horn-like braids, danced before her, as she walked. Both braids, covered with dozens of unblinking eyes!

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.

"I don't much like the looks of either of these two rooms." The half Orc mumbled, before walking down the hall to the final, round door. He neared this final door cautiously, wary of traps or another of those door-beasts! To the villager that accompanied them he asked, "You act odd, islander. Do you know something we do not? 'ware you don't lie, now! The watching egg is not the only one that you should hear being eaten by..." Somnak glared at the man, licking his fangs hungrily.

Intimidate the villager for information, and then if what he says doesn't ring any alarm bells and the door seems safe, Somnak will open it. If Somnak believes the villager is holding back, he will attempt to force the villager to open the door instead (by booting the man straight into it.)

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.

The winding passages of man's greed and twisting paths of the sea had given way to the contorted trails of the jungle, only to spew her forth into the convoluted passages of the pyramid.All along the journey, she had not relinquished the crest of the burning mountain upon her chest, had kept the armor meticulously oiled in the dampness of these d**nable reaches, kept the phoenix-wing shoulder pads of the plate armor resplendent, not to bring any shame on Brandburg.

Kismet licked her lips - finally, some foul minions of the hidden master of this place, to question to straighten her path. Wrath and resolve were smoldering within her, forged into a searing composite that would see her through the trials, to see her worthy.

How long had it been since the dawn of this incessant probation? All the roads had blurred into one.But what an endeavour it was!The bandits of Bjornholm were strung upon trees, their bodies lending their rancid stench to the breeze and their entrails to ravens.The demon boar of Dannir was but a stew, far less demonic.The Unwalked Path in the depths of Brandburg was now but a path, devoid of danger and yielding valuable legacy of kings of yore to the king of today.The Lying Witch of Lundal was done with her witchery and deceit, her tongue nailed to her door.The traitorous chancellor Grundtal demoted - from his bastion of rebellion, to the cliffs so far below, his daughter thrown to mercenaries to end his line.The Life-Water of the Serpent-Sisters now bestowed strength and longevity upon a far worthier recipient, the noble prince Torsten, his eyes even more radiant with its energy, his mighty arms infused with blessed power.The lost Locket of the Covenant was returned to signify the promise made to Erkenbrand, or so the lore, while the thieves' cries at the pyre signified their promise to steal never more.She had held Lost Pass Keep against orcish hordes with a hundred men, until its well-deserved name was Greenblood Hold. What a battle!The Rotten Moor was fertile fields, the cultist coven cloven in twine one cultist swine at a time, and the black heart spewing forth corrupted waters doused with waters divine.The dragon of Dunmere was found to be but a lizard overgrown, made more terrible by a greedy gnome and his tricks of legerdemain. Yet what is to do with dragons - they must be slain, whether fake or true? She brought back two heads, cleanly severed, although only one was due.She even found Manzark the Blackened, in his hold of sorcerous ice. Instead of her turned to a frog, she led him to the army's banner, once more with the crown reconciled. Oh, she hoped that would suffice.

Shield raised, the authority of Brandburg clearly emblazoned across, and her flamberge raised and radiant with power, she felt her inner light shine forth as she charged. "Suffer my wrath, witless minions, or show me the path to the master of this place!" Initiative 12, if you roll higher, feel free to talk before the fool who threw the spear gets two educational sword strikes, rolled 16 and 17 to hit, 28 damage total.

Logged

"Captain, the buttocks are moving from the pink into the red and purple spectrum! We cannot maintain this rate of spanking any longer!"

"... Girl... Meleana... Was that your name? Yes, I arrived here from Old Althyras a couple of days ago. You see, I loved the Crown Princess of Althyras, even before, when she was but the Girl of the Meadow, and for that I was sentenced to eternal exile. You see, when royal loins burst with desire, commoners' love have to step aside. It was not so easy for me... Some days ago, I am not sure of how many, the High Priest of the Allfather opened a magical portal on Griffon Square. There I was led in chains before an infuriated mob, and this here mark was branded unto my face"

"Then I was sent through the portal, to serve my sentence, to wither and to die, and in the end to fully understand the extent of my exile."

"There are several things I do not understand. Why do you even parlay with me? It is custom for bearers of the mark of treason to be shunned, spoken to and aided by no elf, even the closest of kin."

"... And... What happened to you? Your eyes... I have never seen their like. And that thing around your neck, I heard of them once, from a traveler from Southern Myrkolar. Do they not strangle and devour their prey? Are not you potential prey?"

There were a lot of new words in his speech, things she could almost make out from memory but only quite. Meleana did her best to puzzle the pieces together.

< "I does't not comprehend the words, crown princess or royal. Art these thine appointed leaders? They seem awfully selfish, why does not thine people dispose of them and select new ones? I be not aware the mark indicated exile, but if those be thine only transgressions then I shan't honour the mark." >

She looked surprised.

< "Nothing hath befallen me, mine eyes art the same as my sister's and mine mother's. Oh, Be'Loa? She be a pet, handfed and raised by mine own hands, she poses no danger to me." >

The small talk continued, with a little back and forth regarding the differences of Island life versus that of the empire. It was all very involving, and Meleana forgot almost all about her surroundings and her troubles for a while.

Somnak then, without preamble, grabbed the bloodied, harried villager, and tossed him through the opening! The villager moaned as he landed several feet down the new passage.

Because of all the talking, Meleana to her great annoyance hadn't even registered the poor villager before now. He wasn't anyone she knew personnally, but this kind of behaviour could not stand! She quickly stepped up, drew her bone scimitars and trained their points against the half-orc's neck. She would have to resort to common now.

Somnak glared angrily at the threat from the snake-wearing elven woman. He dismissed it with a snort and a wave of his hand at the villager, "Bah, he is fine, you see?" the man had cowered in the hall, beaten but alive and refusing to more further. "The man chose his path when he decided to come with us instead of going back to the village, even though he was told to return! And yet he fails time again to be of use! If you don't want to see him hurt, convince him to GO. HOME." With that, Somnak nudged past the scimitars and stepped over the poor villager, intent on moving on through the doorway.

Somnak is moving on. If Meleana attacks, so be it; he will fight back.

Not waiting for the tension to build up again, Ardhalas edged between Somnak and Meleana, and followed a few footsteps behind the half-orc as he made his way to the door.He quietly put the helmet in his backpack as he walked, and step for step he gradually fell further behind Somnak, until the brutish warrior was three meters in front of him.

The first Tarkhala finds the water-hole, but the second survives the lions and gets the water as well.

And thus the Imperial Elf fell into thoughts, letting his gaze routinely look for oddities and traps as he did so.

Meleana narrowed her eyes, but she did sheath her scimitars again, her point being made. She turned to Melior.

< "Your friends are louts. No better than the quallan. You need to control that pig-man better, aren't you their leader?" >She said accusingly, Melior being one of few she could vent too. It was frustrating not being able to speak with these strange people, she would have to work harder on learning common, there was no helping it.

She then helped the old man up on his feet and sternly but gently told him to go home.< "There may still be people waiting for your return in the village. I know not your name but surely you know who I am? So you know you can trust me, we'll find and help the rest. Follow the corridors, on your right will be a door, speak the word yinsoso and it will open. Now, go!" >

<"Wrong. They are better than the Qullan."> Melior responded. <"They make useful meatshields. And for now, they are our allies. Just because I don't agree with their actions sometimes does not mean I must take up arms just yet. They are rash, and ruled by their emotions. And leader? In this case, I think that is a bit to... Strong a word. The first time I came upon them was on this island on a beach. The only things we have done together is kill some Qullan, come to your village, and hunt the Seneschal, to borrow that half-orc's word. I try to lead them, as I'm the only one with a brain amongst them, but they are a rebellious lot, and undisciplined. A year in the elven army would serve them good.">

Melior paused, and sighed. <"But for now, let's catch up with them. They need us, and if we are to survive in this pyramid, we need them.">

This is the biggest compliment you guys are getting out of Melior. Just so you know how high a praise he just gave you.

The old man nods a few times, at her words, "Yes, Yinsoso, yes, thank you. Yes, I know you of course....you are Meleana" he mutters as she helps him up.

The villager waits for them to get down the hallway a bit, even waves to Meleana when she turns to see if he is indeed leaving, then suddenly, the villager spins around and bolts rather quickly toward one of the metallic doors. He slams the purple button beside it, runs inside, and shuts the door with a loud thud!

He had entered the room marked, "Rejuvenation Room"

A few dozen feet down the new hallway, Somnak turned to watch this happen, and bared his fangs, "I knew it!" he snarled. He was not exactly sure what he "knew", but his suspicions about the villager were now seemingly confirmed!

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.

Somnak bared his fangs in a menacing growl. "I knew it", he snarled, droplets of spit raining over Ardhalas ruined features as the half-orc snarled in anger.Whirling about, Somnak shoved his way forcefully past Ardhalas, walking with determined steps towards the door to the rejuvenation chamber.

Ardhalas followed in the half-orc's footsteps, noticing the goat-skin drum dangling madly on the brute's left hip.

Stopping by the door, Somnak motioned for Thorgir to help him tear it down, and cautious by nature, Ardhalas stepped to the side, readying his bow and leaning towards the wall, letting the cloak work it's elven magic.

Speaking fluently in Azul Orcish, Ardhalas addressed Somnak, many of the words sounding antiquated and weird to the half-orc

[Deep, guttural sounding Azul-Orcish]: "Frugrakth Azul, I need big boom Spurgtak. It be nurgbakh to have Spurgtak like back in the Siskaaaahylor"

OOC: It was ok for Shadow that I wrote him into my sub, so I guess you can roll for force door opens or something on their behalf, Muro? Also, Ardhalas is cautious by nature. He has taken up a defensive pose close to the wall. He will use the cloaks chameleon nature to make him a less attractive target if something comes out, even though it was merely a villager going in. He is - that - careful.

Somnak roared in fury - he had been duped! And that d**ned elfish woman had defended this 'villager!' He had half a mind to tear her throat out! Instead, he moved to the door, screaming, "THORGIR!" and indicating to the other side. With the aid of his barbaric companion, the two flexed and wrenched the door, bending the iron itself to their own will! In his head, the spirits were screaming in rage, drumming at his skull to be released in the fury of violence.

The newcomer elf spoke something to Somnak, to his surprise - and in a dialect of orcish no less! But it was a confused jumble of words which Somnak struggled to understand. In the more current, refined orcish tongue, he replied: "MoarlTokh Ru'khal mok har tu'talsk imbaleskh, Rulk'khan. Ju'ulkesh mok knowen! Mok tualkh suaarsh?"

"Your tongue is tied with the knot of ages, Elf-kin. Perhaps you need to re-educate yourself! You wanted big sound?"

With one last wrench, the door crumbled asunder, and the chamber was revealed.Inside, the villager was no more - the Seneschal stood there instead! Hooked to the chamber by the inorganic tentacles, the cyclops appeared to be under barrage by an unseen force; his injuries were being healed! As the door fell, the Seneschal opened his eyes in shock and began hurriedly chanting in a mystical language!

"By the spirits, you will not escape this time! Someone unhook him from this... thing!" Somnak had nothing more to say. With a howl of fury which rivaled the gibbering voices in his head, he reached into his bag and pulled forth an iron spike! A vicious grin of bloodlust plastered on his face, Somnak charged.

Before he could react, twin steel shafts pierced his torso, and he grunted in pain. Ardhalas swift firing was a perfected skill. The cyclops cannot even see where the arrows came from, before they sink into his flesh.

Then Somnak charged with his spike aloft, fury raging inside the half-orc. But as he leapt toward the cyclops, the creature flailed and swung his tentacled arms and legs, and Thorgir tripped, missing, and crashing into the tubes instead. A second later a charging Thorgir severed one of the tubes leading from the Senescahl's legs, and a hiss of gas, erupted inside the chamber.

The Seneschal began to chant, with a mad fury burning in his single, rheumy eye as well now...

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.

Enraged fully now, Brin roared in rage, and then acted, even as the arrows flew. The words of the prayer flowed from her lips swiftly, and once more, the sphere of silence flowed forth, centered not upon herself this time, nor upon the false priest, but this time, upon Thorgir. Hopefully, in time to prevent the thing from using magic to fool them all once more...

Melior entered the room on the heels of his companions, though stuck to the edges. No sense in getting in melee range. He eyed the Seneschal's set up, and then eyed the cyclops himself. Especially the spell being cast. Whatever it was, Melior was sure a hail of magic missiles would be beneficial.

But in the meantime, Melior examined the gas that Thorgir had oh-so-foolishly released. It no doubt had something to do with Rejuvenation, but was it a hazardous power supply of some sort?

Spellcrafting the Cyclops' spell, as well as room's set up. Also magic missile damage: (21:59:36) Minion: caesar193 rolls 2d4 and gets 2,3. So 7 damage.

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.

Staring in chock at the deception, Meleana grew angered. She had defended that wretched one-eye?! Sure, it had been an honest mistake, she didn't recognize all humans in the village, how could she, they were plentiful and short lived, still it irked her. She threw out her hand and called for the forces of nature, though this was an unnatural place, it was still situated on the ground, and soon enough vines and branches broke forth from the floor and wrapped themselves around the clever beast. Thorns biting into his flesh, vines moving like a snake, constricting and holding him in place.

With an urgency born of a hundred battles, Ardhalas plucked two new arrows from ŧhe quiver. He had witnessed first hand what enemy spellcasters could do, hence the Outguard's Standing Rule; if it chants, if it casts, then it dies first.

His troubled allies had charged the one-eyed monstrosity, so he aimed high, for the cyclops was taller than any partymember.

Witless imbecile. I should have painted his innards across that lift when I had the chance. Never one to cover for fools, Lumori was especially in no state of mind to care about what the onrushing Lumina was going to do to his companion. In lieu of yelling or otherwise drawing attention to himself, the thief instead slunk around the statues, attempting to find a good vantage from which he could unleash a flurry of blood.

Using his luckless companion as a distraction and bait, Lumori attempts to get behind Kismet so he can backstab her from the shadows. Necessary rolls, oh GM?

Kismet's flamberge ended Yurhak's life before he could even add a gurgle, as she painted him many shades of red.

Myhak screamed, "Brother!", and charged the alien female with his spear. In moments it would all be over for Myhak as well.

Lumori took this time to skulk and disappear amidst the shadows of the myriad statues...

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the combatants, twin sword-wielding, stone statues of nubile, nude women, silently stepped from their pedestals on the other side of the vast chamber.

(ooc: technically, i will assume Myhak is destroyed with Kismet's next attack, so now initiative between Lumori and the Lumina. If Lumori succeeds in his rolls, his next attack could be a back-stab for double dam. If Kismet wins, she would still have to locate the thief somehow.)

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.

(ooc: Melior spell-crafting reveals a Slow spell about to be cast. The gas was being pumped through the malleable, steel-like sleeves from inside the walls of the chamber. He can't easily identify the gas from casual observation.)

Once again, like back in the village, the Seneschal receives the brunt of the companions assault.

As Thorgir prepared to attack once more, his world goes suddenly silent, courtesy of Brin, further adding to the chaos. The half-orc, finally free of the entangling inorganic tubes, snarls (silently!) and rises to attack anew.

Melior's Magnificent Missiles strike the cyclops unerringly, once more causing him anguish. But now Melior is silenced as well.

Then Meleana of the Jungle casts her spell, and an eruption of vines, thorns, and spikes entangle the cyclops, as he howls (silently!) in frustration, his single eye, blood-shot and teary.

But finally the Seneschal manages to cast his spell, and suddenly, Melior, Somnak, Thorgir, find themselves in some sort of magical, invisible morass, an almost dream-like sequence of events, as their limbs react in slow motion, despite their brain's urging.

Thorgir particularly, slowed and silenced, was a bit discombobulated.

That left Brin, Ardhalas, and Meleana on the outside of the chamber, unslowed.

Like clockwork, two more arrows fire from Ardhalas' bow, striking at the neck and shoulder of the d**nable beast, who rages now in pain (silently!), temporarily detained by Meleana's floral trap.

(ooc: 14 points damage done to cyclops. Initiative for all. Cyclops rolls a 5. Ardhalas, Brin, and Meleana can attack freely if initiative is won. Melior, Somnak, and Thorgir are slowed. The cyclops saves with a 15 vs entangle however, and is not slowed by 50% due to the spell. The cyclops is however, under effects of the Silence spell, due to Thorgir's proximity. Phew, that's a mouthful. )

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.